National News: Malavika Byju, a young innovator from Kochi, Kerala, has introduced a unique healthcare solution. She is a student at NID Ahmedabad, known for her creative design ideas. Malavika has developed a special gown exclusively for women undergoing ECG tests. The gown ensures that women no longer need to remove their clothes during the procedure. In addition, she created biodegradable ECG electrodes using tapioca starch. These eco-friendly electrodes can replace plastic ones and reduce medical waste effectively. Her innovation marks a significant step forward in both healthcare accessibility and environmental sustainability.
Often when women go for an ECG, they have to take off their clothes. This is because electrodes have to be placed on the chest. When a student from Kerala saw a woman feeling uncomfortable taking off her clothes during an ECG, she decided to find a solution to this. Now this student has found a solution to this and has made a gown so that women will not need to take off their clothes.
Malvika Creates Eco-Friendly ECG Innovation
Malvika Byju, a resident of Kochi, Kerala, is studying at the National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad. Malvika has designed biodegradable ECG electrodes and a specially designed gown for women. Malvika has also been given a subsidy for this discovery. Two institutions helped Malvika, after which she completed this discovery.
Malvika was worried about medical waste
In fact, ECG electrodes are used in large quantities during tests. Malvika says that these electrodes are almost always made of synthetic polymers and cannot be recycled. Seeing the huge amount of plastic in medical waste, she became worried.
Malavika Discovers Starch Based Solution
After this, Malavika kept trying to find a solution to this problem for about one and a half years. First, she worked with medical technicians and ECG technicians to understand the details. After this, she found a food item in her own home, which proved to be very helpful in her search. Malavika said that kappa, or tapioca, is a main food item of Kerala. One day at home, she saw that the soluble starch found in it was thrown away. When she tested it, she found out that there were about 86 milligrams of soluble starch in one liter.
Electrodes Take Thirty Years Decompose
After this, Malvika has developed a biopolymer film from tapioca starch, which can replace the synthetic plastic used in ECG electrodes. She said that the electrodes currently being used take 35-45 years to decompose, whereas the biopolymer film developed by her gets destroyed in just 40-55 days.
Malavika Designs Special ECG Gown
While gathering information about ECG electrodes, Malvika noticed a woman who was feeling uncomfortable taking off her clothes during the ECG. After this, Malvika designed a gown with pockets and bags so that sensors can be applied to the patient without removing their clothes. Malvika said that this is a practical solution to a difficult problem. This design has received a design registration certificate from the Indian Patent Office.
Malavika Aims For Global Research
Malavika says that resources for her research are very limited in India, so she wants to do a PhD abroad so that she can further improve her designs. Only after this can they be launched commercially. Malavika said that she wanted to become a fashion designer, but her parents were against it, so she first studied English literature and then took admission to NID.
